<p>I got their package and it wasn't going to be affordable. i wrote to them the next day and my subsidized loan of 2000 dollars became 8000 in need based grant. i was impressed. don't give up hope based on money!</p>
<p>beenjamming04,
How long did it take them to reply with the increase? We also got an unaffordable package and wrote to them the next day.</p>
<p>it took two days for them to post the new aid online.</p>
<p>Did they contact you personally by phone or mail to let you know of the change? Also, to whom did you address your correspondence? Did you use the reevaluation form that came in the aid packet?</p>
<p>No, they didn't contact us. We faxed a letter as soon as we saw the aid package online (we hadn't received the packet with the form yet) to the financial aid office (there's contact info on the web page) explaining the situation and my financial aid award from rpi and cmu's estimate that we had gotten over the summer. If you 've gotten the form i;d use that but defnitely include other shcool's finiancial aid awards.</p>
<p>We did almost what you did. We immediately emailed a letter, which I then also sent by FedEx, and explained our other offers. We didn't send actual copies of the other awards, though. Did you? I guess I could still send copies along with the form.</p>
<p>yea we did fax copies of other awards</p>
<p>Would they consider modifying the package because of a merit scholarship from another college (Case Western)? I got a huge scholarship from them and a really puny package from CMU (~$8000 in aid, when the FAFSA says my EFC is 535). I really want to go to CMU, though.</p>
<p>I am told not to expect too much from CMU. My son is in the same situation as you are, and we are regrouping to select an alternate college. It couldn't hurt to try, though.</p>
<p>Also, just curious - if you got a merit scholarship, did it show up on the admissions site? (where it shows your test scores and admissions decisions and stuff)</p>
<p>Yes, I think they do.</p>
<p>Always appeal.</p>
<p>Be polite though.</p>
<p>I had a $2000 loan turn into a $3000 scholarship.</p>
<p>CMUHighJumper, that's not a big increase, is it? My situation is rather more dire. My parents can afford to contribute $18k max, and CMU offered $8k total aid (a $950 grant, work-study and loans). That leaves me about $15k difference.</p>
<p>In people's experience, how much of that gap is likely to be filled?</p>
<p>well i got the rpi medal and that's 15k a year. with need based stuff added in, rpi was about 7 thousand cheaper and cmu matched it. i'm hesitant to say expect this, but it is possible.</p>
<p>"well i got the rpi medal and that's 15k a year. with need based stuff added in, rpi was about 7 thousand cheaper and cmu matched it. i'm hesitant to say expect this, but it is possible."</p>
<p>Do you know what the chances to get the same fin aid in next year?
I am talking about the situation when CMU matched other school offer and
assuming that the financial situation will be same.</p>
<p>i guess i'm hoping it won't change. i hadn't really thought about that.</p>
<p>lfk725,</p>
<p>Please send our office an actual copy of the scholarship letters/offers from the other schools. We will need to see the actual award/package letters when reviewing your aid package.</p>
<p>thank you!</p>
<p>Thank you CMU Rep! When our finaid letter arrived, we filled out the appeal form and sent copies of competing merit aid offers. After about two weeks, I noticed an additional award on the website that was backdated to the date of other financial postings, March 25. We were hoping for funds that would put CMU into the same ballpark as all of the other schools, about $20K out of pocket. With the addititional money that appeared on the website, CMU is still slightly over $30K out of pocket.</p>
<p>I have a couple of questions for you:
1. Do you think this backdated addition is the result of the appeal process, or might there be more coming?
2. Do you know if the added money called "instituional scholarship" is an annual thing, or for freshman year only?
3. Do you know what gpa is needed to maintain Presidential or Institutional scholarships? I assume the University Endowed Scholarship is need based.
Thanks alot for your assistance!</p>
<p>In the email I was sent yesterday, it says that the institutional scholarship is renewable every year.</p>
<p>Hey, thanks briarbrad. Do you know what the stipulations are on scholarship renewal?</p>